Chrysanthemum plant named ‘G19FON06PI’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘G19FON06PI’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and decorative-type inflorescences with greyed purple-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘G19FON06PI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘G19FON06PI’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding and freely flowering Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in October, 2011 in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number GE03,4640, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Mefisto Purple’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,896, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in August, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in September, 2014. Asexual reproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘G19FON06PI’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘G19FON06PI’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant         habit; vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Decorative-type inflorescences with greyed purple-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniform than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are darker         greyed purple in color than ray florets of plants of the female         parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Mefisto Purple’. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Mefisto Purple’ in the following. characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         ‘Mefisto Purple’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are flatter         than ray florets of plants of ‘Mefisto Purple’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are greyed         purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Mefisto         Purple’ are red purple in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘PPP AMIK 09’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,453. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘PPP AMIK 09’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniformly rounded         than plants of ‘PPP AMIK 09’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about two to three         weeks earlier than plants of ‘PPP AMIK 09’.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are greyed         purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘PPP AMIK 09’         are violet in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G19FON06PI’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium during the summer and autumn and under cultural practices generally used in commercial Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plant, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranges from 12° C. to 18° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G19FON06PI’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number             GE03.4640, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Mefisto             Purple’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,896. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type Chrysanthemum; stems             upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded             appearance to the plant; plants roughly spherical; very             freely branching habit, about 20 primary lateral branches             develop, each primary lateral branch with multiple secondary             branches; pinching enhances lateral branch development;             dense and full plant habit; vigorous growth habit; plants             flexible, not brittle.         -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 60 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm             to 3 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Pubescent, fine; longitudinally ridged.             Color: Close to 141A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 4.5 cm             to 6 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed and serrate, sinuses             between lateral lobes divergent to parallel. Texture upper             and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Venation: Palmately             reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close             to 141A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 139C.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 148C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 147B to 147C.             Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; rough. Color,             upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, Tower surface: Close to             137C. Stipules: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent;             rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form;             inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; disc             and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in early September in Belgium; flowering response             time, about 32 days.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about 38 to 40 days inn outdoor nursery;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 20 to 25 inflorescences             develop per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 185D.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 3.5 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 7 mm; inconspicuous.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 5 cm. Width: About             7 mm. Shape: Oval. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 125 to 150 arranged in             about seven whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 185D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 51D.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 185D; distally, close             to 56A; color becoming closer to 56A with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 56A; color becoming closer             to 56C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm to             1 mm. Shape: Tubular; apices acute. Number of disc florets             per inflorescence: About 60 to 80 massed at the center of             the inflorescence. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             immature: Close to 145A. Color, mature: Close to 12A.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 25             arranged in two or three whorls. Length: About 4 mm Width:             About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Rounded to truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to N137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 7 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About             7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Angle: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Not observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date seed and fruit production have not             been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated excellent garden performance and will tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 45° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘G19FON06PI’ as illustrated and described. 